Child Safety on the Internet

Mrs Fitzsimons made this Freedom of Information request to Middlesbrough Council

The request was partially successful.

From: Mrs Fitzsimons

22 October 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

This request relates to the safe use of the Internet by Primary and
Secondary School pupils in your region.

Resources:
1. The Byron Review, published 27 March 2008,
2. The Byron Review Action Plan, published 24th June 2008.

The resources above relate to the safety and education of children
using the Internet at Home and School, and the responsibility of
government, local and national to ensure that children are educated
and protected whilst doing so.

I hereby request under the Freedom of Information Act full details
of the Internet Safety Actions and Initiatives currently in place
throughout the region.

1. Internet Safety Education provided as part of the school
curriculum.

- Within your schools is there a specific program aimed at teaching
children about staying safe online, including cyber bullying been
integrated into the curriculum?
- If yes, who is responsible for delivery and what
accreditations/training have they received? For example, teacher,
CEOP trained ambassador.
- If yes, how often is internet safety training integrated into the
school curriculum, i.e. weekly, monthly etc
- If no, what steps/timeframes are being taken for implementation?

2. Internet Filtering

- Do the primary and secondary schools within your authority have
internet filtering in place?
- If yes, what tools do you use? For example Hardware or Software?
- If yes, what is the name of your internet filtering supplier and
when was their contract last renewed/due for renewal?

3. Internet Filtering Breaches

- Have any of the Schools within the past 24 months experienced a
breach of Internet Filtering where children were able to access
pornography or Indecent images. Please provide details of School
Type(Primary or Secondary), Date of Breach and Type of Unsuitable
material accessed.
- If a breach of security occurred how was your authority notified?
For example, by a parent, by the school, through an automated alert
provided by hardware/software supplier.

Yours truly,
Mrs A Fitzsimons

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Middlesbrough Council

29 October 2009

Dear Mrs Fitzsimmons

REF NO: 1535.1.
I am writing to confirm that Middlesbrough Council has now completed its
search for the information you requested on 22 October 2009. However,
please be advised that some of the information requested cannot be
disclosed for the reasons provided below in this letter.

In your request you asked for the following information:

1. Internet Safety Education provided as part of the school curriculum.

- Within your schools is there a specific program aimed at teaching
children about staying safe online, including cyber bullying been
integrated into the curriculum?
- If yes, who is responsible for delivery and what accreditations/training
have they received? For example, teacher, CEOP trained ambassador.
- If yes, how often is internet safety training integrated into the school
curriculum, i.e. weekly, monthly etc
- If no, what steps/timeframes are being taken for implementation?

Response: Middlesbrough Council does not hold the information you are
requesting.
The information you request is however held by individual schools. You may
wish to
approach each school on an individual basis and they may be able to assist
you with your
request.

You can access the full list of individual schools via Middlesbrough
Council website
www.middlesbrough.gov.uk then click on the section `Education & learning'
and the pdf
document called 'Primary & Secondary Education in Middlesbrough', can be
found on
the right hand side of the screen in the pink 'downloads' section.

2. Internet Filtering

- Do the primary and secondary schools within your authority have internet
filtering in place?

Response: Yes
- If yes, what tools do you use? For example Hardware or Software?

Response: Hardware - a cache pilot
- If yes, what is the name of your internet filtering supplier and when
was their contract last renewed/due for renewal?

Response: Easynet procured via Northern Grid. The contract was last
renewed in 2006 It was originally for 3 years to 2009 but it had an option
for extension. This was used and the current contract will expire in July
2012.

3. Internet Filtering Breaches

- Have any of the Schools within the past 24 months experienced a breach
of Internet Filtering where children were able to access pornography or
Indecent images. Please provide details of School Type(Primary or
Secondary), Date of Breach and Type of Unsuitable material accessed.
- If a breach of security occurred how was your authority notified?
For example, by a parent, by the school, through an automated alert
provided by hardware/software supplier.

Response: Middlesbrough Council does not hold the information you are
requesting.
The information you request is however held by individual schools. You may
wish to
approach each school on an individual basis and they may be able to assist
you with your
request.

You can access the full list of individual schools via Middlesbrough
Council website
www.middlesbrough.gov.uk then click on the section `Education & learning'
and the pdf
document called 'Primary & Secondary Education in Middlesbrough', can be
found on
the right hand side of the screen in the pink 'downloads' section.

If you have any queries about this letter, please do not hesitate to
contact me direct on (01642) 729696 or email [Middlesbrough Council request email].
Please remember to quote the reference number shown above in any future
communications.

If you are unhappy with the way your request has been handled you may ask
for an internal review. You should write to:-

Chris Davies,
Corporate Complaints Manager,
PO Box 99A,
Town Hall,
Middlesbrough,
TS1 2QQ.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for an
independent review. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: -
Information Commissioner's Office,
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire,
SK9 5AF
Yours sincerely

Steph Robson
Freedom of Information Officer

Members Office
P.O. Box 99A
Town Hall
Middlesbrough
TS1 2QQ

Tel. 01642 729696

FAX. 01642 729882
Email: [Middlesbrough Council request email]

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